Lesson No.1

Proudly functioning without a fucking MySpace account since 2004

Monday, June 15

BLACK STEEL IN THE HOUR OF CHAOS

As summer proper approaches we're off for our customary seasonal break for a month or two (read: counting our last pennies in a darkened room to a soundtrack of Slayer and tears). But not before this weighty weekend bastard, Sunday 21 June to be precise, probably our heaviest bill in five years of Lesson No.1.

Thou are from Baton Rouge in Louisiana and are one of the most talked-about bands coming up for air from the doom/sludge underground over the last 12 months. Why? Because they’re heavier than a ruined life, playing black metal-soaked slo-mo epics with riffs as thick as the glass on the Popemobile. If Electric Wizard quit eulogising about weed and extracted all the musical optimism from their songs, it might sound a bit like this. They also have a commendably busy release schedule (without going so far as to flood the market), with releases on Level Plane, Southern Lord (upcoming), Woodsmoke, Feast Of Tentacles and more. They all have amazing artwork that’ll make the aesthetically-minded bust a nut when they see them. Don’t miss this! Aural proof here.

Moloch make their South Wales debut (not for want of trying, but still); really great hardcore-infused sludge warriors from Nottingham, featuring dudes from Brain Dead and Army Of Flying Robots. Nihilistic raging gloom for fans of Eyehategod, Grief, Iron Monkey, Sourvein, yadda yadda. They have so far issued a demo, which is sold out, and a 10” single on Feast Of Tentacles/Shifty which you should be able to find in distros and whatnot. Ear abuse you say? Sure.

Ghast - formerly known as Souldust (hence their MySpace URL) - have got to be one of the most slept on black metal bands anywhere. Their debut album ‘May The Curse Bind’ is out now and goes to town welding that Darkthrone-esque cold guitar buzz to obese doom/death pummeling, played with a crusty punk anger. They don’t play round here that often so we're really looking forward to it. Get blackened.

Spider Kitten have been shadowy ambassadors for South Wales downer rock since the early part of the century, shifting focus over the years from an exercise in Earth worship to weirdly anthemic, industrially damaged doom rockouts. Vitus style solo-mo riffing meets the blank garage of early Sub Pop bands. They release all their records on their own Rugland label and can be contacted this way, which also includes tunes, yo...

The nuts and bolts: get down to Le Pub, Caxton Place, Newport from 7.30pm, hand over £5 and, erm, rock the fuck out. Why wouldn't you want to?